What’s in Your Interview Kit?

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Martin Yate CPCNY Times BestsellerProfessional Resume Services

What should a Knock Em Deadinterview kit include?

You’ve gathered everything you need for this job interview, but if you put together an interview kit, you can immediately reassemble it in anticipation of the next one. What should your kit include?Printed Copies of Your Resume With electronic resumes now the norm, be sure your interviewers see you in the best possible light, and that is in the layout of the print version of your resume. Take half a dozen copies, so that anyone you meet can have a copy to review. You’ll also need a copy for yourself so you can refer to it throughout the interview just as the interviewer refers to it. With everything you have to remember, it can be a very useful frame of reference, recalling not only what is on the page, but also all the thinking that went into creating it. Note that it is acceptable to look at your resume when interviewers refer to their copies, but you shouldn’t look at it after a question asking for, say, dates of employment and before you answer, because this could imply you don’t remember, and some interviewers will question this. Google+Knock Em Dead Tip: Know your resume. It is shocking how many candidates seem surprised by things that are on their resumes. Jim Rohan, Senior Partner at J P Canon Associates, a supply chain management professional with 25 years’ experience recommends taking a folder with a pad of paper and pen. Taking occasional notes shows the interviewer that you’re paying attention and that you’re organized. You may prefer using an electronic tablet that has too many potential potential distractions.

ReferencesTake any reference letters from past employers and/ or clients, although they might not be needed and you shouldn’t offer them unless requested. Be prepared. It really astounds me how many people are unprepared to make an impression.

A list of job-related questions

It’s good to ask questions during an interview. It shows you’re engaged in the discussion and are trying to find out more about how you can integrate yourself into the department and the company. If your research generated any interesting articles, print them out and take them along. They indicate your seriousness in researching the company, and sharing them with an interviewer puts the physical proof in their hands. Ask yourself: What do they expect me to know? What they expect isn’t important. What’s important is that you exceed their expectations. Study their competitors and ask questions accordingly.

A plan for getting there – on timeDirections to the job interview, including different means of transportation and a time frame for travel. Nothing is worse than getting lost and being late to a job interview. Way before you depart—you should never leave this till the last minute—determine the interview location (building floor, street address, telephone numbers), what transportation you’ll use, and the time needed for travel. Murphy’s Law tells you that everything that can go wrong will go wrong on such an important day, so anticipate this and allow plenty of extra time for traffic delays. Getting to the location of the interview with plenty of time to spare is the only way you can guarantee showing up at the interview calm, punctual, and ready for battle.

Practical items

Have your tablet or cel with the interviewer’s contact information available, but turn off the sound to avoid disruptions. Have a mini-grooming kit for a pre-interview spruce-up, especially if you’ve got a long commute. Pack a nutrition bar or suitable snack to keep your blood sugar stable and stave off stomach-grumbling during the job interview. The Final PackageAsk good questions. The questions you ask at an interview can be more impressive than the statements on your resume.